[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 77 (Thursday, June 15, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H4127-H4128]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ACCOUNTABILITY FOR IRAQ WAR
Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to proceed out of
order and address the House for 5 minutes.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from
Michigan is recognized for 5 minutes.
There was no objection.
Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I come before you tonight after listening to
the presentations that have been taking place all day, not only as a
Member of this body but as a parent who has lost a child. My son, B.J.,
who passed away a little more than 6 years ago, would have turned 24
tomorrow. Every time I learn about loss of life in Iraq, another son or
daughter, mother or father, brother or sister, I can't help but think
about my son B.J. and the profound pain and loss that will remain with
us for the rest of our lives.
That intense pain that we feel over the loss of B.J. is being felt
every day by those families here in America who have suffered a loss in
Iraq, and that is one of the reasons why I oppose this war and one of
the reasons why I plan to oppose this resolution.
But one of the other reasons I oppose this resolution deals with
honesty and truth. Boake Carter is credited with saying that ``in time
of war, the first casualty is truth.''
Mr. Carter's statement is applicable to the resolution before us
today. Like the one-sided resolution presented to the House last
December, the Republican majority has refused to allow a true debate on
the war on Iraq. The truth is 2,500 servicemen and -women have died in
Iraq. The truth is the so-called coalition countries, including Great
Britain, are drawing down their troops in Iraq. The truth is the
Republican majority in its resolution today wants to blur the truth,
that the cause and purpose of the war in Iraq is the same as the war in
Afghanistan.
The truth is the Republican majority in its resolution today wants to
blur the truth that the cause and purpose of the war in Iraq is
justified by the terrorist attacks of September 11.
The truth is the Republican majority in its resolution today wants to
blur the truth saying that we who oppose this war in Iraq are not as
patriotic as those who support the war.
The truth is the Republican majority in its resolution today wants to
blur the truth saying that those who do not support Resolution 861 do
not support our troops in Iraq.
Resolution 861 continues the open-ended commitment of U.S. troops in
Iraq and embodies President Bush's latest attempt to justify the U.S.
involvement in Iraq.
Last December the President and his congressional allies claimed the
Iraqi parliamentarian elections were a ``crucial victory'' in
establishing a democracy in Iraq. Thus, through this election,
``victory'' was inevitable in Iraq. Even Vice President Cheney declared
the insurgency was ``in their final throes.''
America has heard this type of reasoning before from President
Johnson during the Vietnam War. In 1967, the South Vietnamese freely
elected their government. President Johnson then declared the
Vietnamese election had established a democracy supported by the
Vietnamese people. Even our Vietnam military leaders declared the war
would be over soon as there was ``light at the end of the tunnel.''
After this Vietnamese election, and the light at the end of the
tunnel, 3,800 more Americans would die in Southeast Asia.
Since May 1, 2003, when the President declared ``mission
accomplished'' in Iraq, over 2,300 troops have died in Iraq. What is
the victory that the President and his congressional supporters
envision in Iraq for the U.S.? What is the strategy for the Iraqi war
mission to be accomplished?
This is not a war like our grandparents fought. This is an
insurgency. There is no country to hoist a white flag of surrender.
There is no recognized political entity that America can
[[Page H4128]]
sign a peace agreement with. There is only an insurgency of fanatics
who have no desire to reach peace with the United States.
Our brave men and women in the military are trying to build a
democracy in a country that views U.S. troops as occupiers. Almost one-
half of the Iraqi people believe it is justifiable to kill our U.S.
troops. The U.S. military has been used to prop up a government being
threatened by a guerrilla insurgency.
With this Iraqi insurgency, I cannot envision an event, a goal or a
date when victory in Iraq can indisputably be achieved.
What has President Bush said about achieving victory in Iraq? The
President said the United States will stay the course and the next
President will have to withdraw our troops from Iraq. It will be 2\1/2\
years, or 30 months, before this President leaves office. Does this
mean America will spend another $300 billion on the war in Iraq? Does
it mean America will suffer 18,000 more young people to war wounds and
another 2,500 killed?
In October 2002, I warned that this administration would open a
Pandora's box if the United States unilaterally went to war in Iraq.
Mr. President, you opened Pandora's box with all its death and
destruction of American and Iraqi lives. You cannot simply wash your
hands of this war and leave it to the next President to withdraw our
troops from Iraq.
It is time for America to demand accountability from the President
and the Iraqi Government. It is time for an Iraqi accountability plan
to bring this war to an end.
Because of America's sacrifice, the people of Iraq have been able to
participate in a democracy by electing the leaders who will shape their
young government and institute laws to protect them. This is a giant
step towards accountability.
The formation of a new government in Iraq is more than just filling
out a cabinet. It is an opportunity for the people of Iraq to accept
responsibility for governing their country. This responsibility extends
beyond voting or forming a new government or killing Abu Musab al
Zarqawi. Now, is the time for Iraqis to be accountable for themselves
and their developing country.
I believe that in order for the principles of democracy to take hold
in Iraq, the target of the insurgency, our U.S. troops, must be removed
as soon as possible!
The President must develop a strategy to bring our troops home. I
believe America should demand from the Bush administration an Iraq
Accountability Plan that will set clear and measurable goals. The
United States has provided the Iraqis with an opportunity for freedom,
democracy and self-governance. But it is the responsibility of the
Iraqi people to seize the opportunity and set forth these principles in
their land.
In this war; the truth lies in today's The Washington Post headline
which states ``Iraq Amnesty Plan May Cover Attacks on U.S. Military.''
The war in Iraq has boiled down to amnesty for insurgents who attack
and kill U.S. soldiers but no amnesty for the insurgents who kill Iraqi
citizens. This amnesty proposal appears to have the tacit agreement of
the Bush Administration for Iraqi government Officials stated,
``There's some sort of understanding between us and the UNF-I [The
U.S.-led Multi-National Force-Iraq] that there is a patriotic feeling
among the Iraqi youth and the belief that those attacks [on U.S.
military personnel] are legitimate acts of resistance and defending
their homeland. These people will be pardoned definitely, I believe.''
If you vote ``yes'' on this Resolution, you are supporting the Iraqi
Government's belief that it is ``ok'' to give Iraqi's amnesty for
attacking and killing U.S. troops!
I cannot, and I will not support Resolution 861 which supports a
government that pardons and justifies killing of 2,500 American
personnel as Iraqi patriotism!
I will not support a resolution that leaves our commitment in Iraqi
``open-ended''; or which allows this President to hand over the Iraq
war to the next President, 30 months from now; nor a resolution that
does not have a strategy to end the war in Iraq.
I urge my colleagues to reject this resolution!
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